Here you can browse the House of Commons Order of Business for Tuesday 17 March 1998.

Notes:
* Indicates a question for oral answer.
[R] indicates that the Member has declared a relevant interest.
Questions for oral answer not reached receive a written answer.
Supplementary questions will also be asked. Other Ministers may also answer.

+ Indicates Government business.
Timings are indicative only.
++ These are ordinary written questions of which no previous notice has been given. For other questions for written answer today see the 'Order Book'.

At 2.30 p.m.

Prayers

At 2.35 p.m.

Private Business

Note: Private business is not debated at this time, and may not be proceeded with if opposed.

Second Reading

Lloyds TSB Bill [Lords].

Mr Howard Flight
Mr Gerald Howarth
Mr Jim Cousins

On Second Reading of the Lloyds TSB Bill [Lords], to move, That the Bill be read a second time upon this day six months.

At 2.35 p.m.

Oral Questions to the Secretary of State for Scotland

*1

Mr Eric Forth (Bromley and Chislehurst): When he next plans to meet the Scottish Council for Independent Schools.

(33155)

*2

Mrs Eleanor Laing (Epping Forest): How many tenders he has received to date for the design and construction of the Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood.

(33156)

*3

Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet): What initiatives he intends to take to encourage tree-planting in Scotland.

(33157)

*4

Mr Tam Dalyell (Linlithgow): If he will make a statement on the recent findings of the international court relating to the (a)
venue and (b)
jurisdiction of the trial of those suspected of the Lockerbie bombing.

(33158)

*5

Mr Laurence Robertson (Tewkesbury): What plans he has to meet representatives of women's groups in Scotland to discuss equal opportunities.

(33159)

*6

Mr Ian Bruce (South Dorset): If he will make a statement on trends in NHS waiting lists in Scotland since May 1997; and what targets he has set over the next four years.

(33160)

*7

Mr Martin O'Neill (Ochil): How many jobs there are in the timber processing industry in Scotland.

(33161)

*8

Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): If he will make a statement on the future of the uniform business rate in Scotland.

(33162)

*9

Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere): What representations he has received about the payment of tuition fees for four years by English students attending Scottish universities.

(33163)

*10

Sir Robert Smith (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine): What recent representations he has made to Treasury about taxation of the North Sea oil and gas industry; and if he will make a statement.

(33164)

*11

Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): If he will make a statement on the proposed Cairngorm funicular railway.

(33165)

*12

Rachel Squire (Dunfermline West): If he will make a statement on relations between the proposed Scottish Parliament and EU institutions.

(33166)

*13

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray): What meetings he has held with representatives of health boards and NHS trusts to discuss the White Paper, Designed to Care.

(33167)

*14

Mr Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): How many Private Finance Initiative projects are under consideration by the Scottish Office.

(33168)

*15

Mr John Bercow (Buckingham): What representations he has received from the Scottish Police forces regarding funding levels in 1998-99.

(33169)

*16

Mr Charles Kennedy (Ross, Skye and Inverness West): If he will make a statement on education provision in the Scottish Highlands.

(33170)

*17

Mr Michael Connarty (Falkirk East): What decisions he has made on the use of league tables for examination results in Scottish schools.

(33171)

*18

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside): When he last met the Scottish National Farmers' Union to discuss farm incomes.

(33172)

*19

Mr Ernie Ross (Dundee West): If he will make a statement on the New Deal Pathfinder Areas.

(33173)

*20

Mr Donald Gorrie (Edinburgh West): What representations he has received from voluntary organisations on the impact of reductions in (i) government and (ii) council budgets.

(33174)

*21

Mr Frank Roy (Motherwell and Wishaw): What discussions he has had regarding the establishment of the social exclusion network.

(33175)

*22

Mr Dominic Grieve (Beaconsfield): If he will make a statement on the legal status of concordats to be agreed between the Scottish Parliament and Government Departments.

(33176)

*23

Miss Anne Begg (Aberdeen South): If he will make a statement on the new Children's Hospital in Aberdeen.

(33177)

*24

Mr Norman A. Godman (Greenock and Inverclyde): If he will list the recommendations contained in the Report of the Working Group on Residential Care Home Registration Procedures which (a) have been implemented and (b) have yet to be adopted by his Department.

(33178)

*25

Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire): What representations he has received from Scottish beef producers on imports from overseas.

(33179)

*26

Mr Christopher Chope (Christchurch): When he last met the Commissioner for Public Accounts in Scotland to discuss arrears of council tax.

(33180)

*27

Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber): How many responses he has received to the Land Reform Policy Group's consultative paper on land.

(33181)

*28

Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Cunninghame South): What arrangements exist to evaluate the short and long-term success of the New Deal for young people.

(33182)

*29

Mr Eric Clarke (Midlothian): When he plans to publish the infrastructure priority programme for Lothian.

(33183)

*30

Maria Fyfe (Glasgow, Maryhill): What representations he has received on the subject of equal representation of men and women in the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire): When he plans to meet the Chairman of the Bar to discuss conditional fee arrangements and legal aid.

(33185)

*32

Paul Flynn (Newport West): What new proposals he has to improve the accessibility of legal aid.

(33186)

*33

Mr Nick St. Aubyn (Guildford): If he will list those non-governmental agencies with which the Lord Chancellor and the Parliamentary Secretary have held discussions about the consequences for access to justice of his proposals for legal aid reform.

(33187)

*34

Mr Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham): What plans he has to meet representatives of the National Consumers' Council to discuss his Department's plans to reform legal aid.

(33188)

*35

Mr John Randall (Uxbridge): What plans he has to meet representatives of the National Consumers' Council to discuss his Department's plans to reform legal aid.

(33189)

*36

Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire): If he will list those non-governmental agencies with which his Department has held discussions about the consequences for access to justice of his statement on proposals for legal aid.

(33190)

*37

Mrs Ann Winterton (Congleton): What plans he has to ensure that people entitled to compensation are able to claim it.

(33191)

*38

Dr Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes South West): What effect the Government's proposals on legal aid will have on improving public access to the legal system.

(33192)

*39

Mr Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton): How much has been spent by his Department since 1st May 1997 on the employment of consultants to advise on the proposed reforms of the legal aid system.

(33193)

*40

Mr Desmond Swayne (New Forest West): When he plans to meet representatives of the Bar to discuss his statement to the House regarding conditional fee arrangements and legal aid.

(33194)

*41

Mr Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington): What proposals he has for the future of courts in West Cumbria.

(33195)

*42

Mr Andrew Dismore (Hendon): If he will make a statement on progress in implementing the civil justice review.

(33196)

*43

Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking): What any plans he has to increase the (a) training and (b) numbers of immigration adjudicators.

(33197)

*44

Mr Simon Burns (West Chelmsford): How much has been spent by his Department since 1st May 1997 on the employment of consultants to advise on the proposed reforms of the legal aid system.

(33198)

*45

Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot): When he plans to meet the Chairman of the Bar to discuss conditional fee arrangements and legal aid.

(33199)

At 3.30 p.m.

Private Notice Questions (if any)
Ministerial Statements (if any)

Main Business

+ 1

WAYS AND MEANS [Until 10.00 p.m.]

Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

Financial Statement

The Third Report of Session 1997-98 from the Social Security Committee, on Tax and Benefits: Pre-Budget Report (HC 423), and the First Report of Session 1997-98 from the Environmental Audit Committee, on the Pre-Budget Report (HC 547), are relevant.

Debate on the Budget Resolutions to be moved at the end of the Chancellor's Statement may continue until 10.00 p.m.

At the end of the sitting:

2

ADJOURNMENT

Proposed subject: Use of servicemen in research at Porton Down: the case of Mr Gordon Bell(Mr Chris Mullin).

Debate may continue until 10.30 p.m. or for half an hour, whichever is later (Standing Order No. 9).

Witness: Lord Rodger of Earlsferry, Lord President of the Court of Session.

[The decision of a Committee to sit in public may be rescinded without notice.]

Written Questions tabled on Monday 16th March for answer today++

1

Ms Jackie Lawrence (Preseli Pembrokeshire): To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what changes are proposed to the quotas for lending to local authorities by the Public Works Loan Board.

(35132)

2

Jacqui Smith (Redditch): To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, whether a review of the Public Trust Office's Framework Document has been carried out.

(35139)

3

Mr Ian Cawsey (Brigg and Goole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers have been authorised to carry firearms; for how many operations firearms have been issued; and how many operations involving armed response vehicles there have been in each of the last three years for which information is available.

(35188)

4

Mr Ian Cawsey (Brigg and Goole): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in how many operations firearms were issued to police officers in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years for which information is available; in how many operations shots were fired by police officers in each year; how many police officers were qualified to carry firearms; and if he will make a statement.

(35189)

5

Julia Drown (South Swindon): To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he expects the latest volume of Agriculture in the United Kingdom to be published.

(35201)

6

Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South): To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what level of financial support she proposes to offer the English Regional Development Organisation for 1998-99.

(35202)

7

Mr Vernon Coaker (Gedling): To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to extend to all courts the power to make curfew orders enforced by electronic monitoring.